Psychedelics, entheogens, entactogens and dissociative anaesthetics, and cannabis are the sole focus of David’s intellectual property, regulatory and commercial practice.
Driven by a strong personal commitment to responsible and effective access to psychedelics for improving, maintaining and promoting mental health, David supports pro bono initiatives by non-profit organizations to facilitate and expand access to psilocybin, MDMA and other psychedelics for Canadians, both within and separate from Canada’s prescription drug system under the Food and Drugs Act.
His clients include:
- Federal licence holders and applicants under Part J of the Food and Drug Regulations (restricted drugs, including LSD, psilocybin, DMT, MDMA and other ring-substituted amphetamines, mescaline, 2,5-substituted phenethylamines, and other psychedelics)
- Federal licence holders and applicants under the Cannabis Regulations and the Industrial Hemp Regulations
- Technology companies innovating in psychedelics and cannabis
- Other domestic and foreign participants in the psychedelics space and in the cannabis industry
David’s regulatory practice includes drafting applications for, interacting with Health Canada in respect of, and otherwise advised in relation to, activities under dealer’s licences for LSD, DMT, psilocybin, MDMA and other psychedelics, including international sale of psychedelics manufactured in accordance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) as an active pharmaceutical ingredient in drug products for use in clinical trials. David also interacts with Health Canada in relation to complex regulatory points on Cannabis Regulations and Industrial Hemp Regulations licences.
David’s intellectual property practice includes drafting and prosecuting patent applications, assessing patentability of technology, validity of patents and potential patent infringement exposure. David also completed patent-related due diligence and manages multi-jurisdictional patent portfolios.
David’s commercial practice includes drafting, negotiating and advising on technology licensing agreements, supply agreements for psychedelics and cannabis, white label cannabis manufacturing agreements and other commercial relationships with a strong intellectual property and regulatory aspect.
David holds a PhD in biochemistry. His graduate-level education in structural biochemistry, synthetic organic chemistry, physical chemistry, plant biochemistry and natural products chemistry provides a strong technical background for advising clients working with psychedelics and clients working in Canada’s cannabis industry in relation to both intellectual property and regulatory law.
David is co-chair of BLG's National Psychedelics and Cannabis Focus Group.